Keeping a secret is no easy task. Especially when it is one announcing that your child has been chosen to represent the state of Florida as the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Champion.
I remember receiving a phone call from our CMN Hospitals team telling me they had big news. Once they told me that Emma had been selected as the CMN Hospitals Champion of Florida I was so excited I cried.
Once I was able to control my excitement we had to decide on how we wanted to surprise Emma.
Emma's birthday was in just a few short days. I had already planned to take a birthday cookie cake to school for Emma's class to share and that was our way in on the surprise.
With a few short days of preparation we were able to gain the support of the staff at Emma's school along with a few family members and friends to help with the announcement. In addition to family, friends and our CMN Hospitals family we had 2 special people from the school in attendance for Emma's announcement. Emma's first grade teacher was my Kindergarten teacher and she was very honored to be a part of this day. We also asked that Emma's music teacher attend to sing Happy Birthday as he was Emma's music therapist at Arnold Palmer Hospital during her last two heart surgeries. Amazing how small of a world we live in when you run in to people from your past all in one place ;o)
On Emma's birthday I came to school with her birthday cookie cake as planned. We had the CMN Hospitals team come to Emma's school along with a few others for the big announcement. The tricky part now was making sure Emma didn't see us before the big reveal so where else do you hide people in a room...the closet, of course :o)
Upon Emma's class returning from lunch I was there with cake in hand along with Emma's Grandma and her music teacher to sing Happy Birthday. After we finished singing Emma realized that she had a few extra visitors besides Mommy, Grandma and a few friends. She saw the CMN Hospitals team and didn't really know what to think seeing them there with flowers and balloons for her.
We asked Cathy Droke, the Greater Orlando CMN Hospitals director, to tell Emma about her new role as Miracle Champion and Emma's response was priceless...She simply said, AWESOME with a big thumbs up for the camera.
After letting the kids dig into their cake Emma's music teacher had one more surprise for her. He sang two very special songs to Emma - You Are My Sunshine and Beautiful by Bruno Mars. You Are My Sunshine is so special as when Emma was in the CVICU she was very depressed and was refusing to talk, eat or communicate with us in any way. The hospital staff requested that the music therapist visit Emma to see if he could lift her spirits. You Are My Sunshine was the first song he sang to her and she smiled. That was the first smile we saw in nearly 3 weeks and just thinking about it right now brings tears to my eyes. Beautiful was a selection of the music teacher himself as when he thinks of Emma he thinks she is beautiful just the way she is - I have to agree 100% with that.
We love CMN Hospitals so much and are committed to raising funds for all of the children treated at CMN hospitals for the rest of our lives.
We look forward to all of the fun and excitement planned for this year and cannot wait to meet the other CMN Hospitals families from across the US.
Heart hugs to all
Shannon
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